Shoe protector



April 27, 1937.

FERN-DELL GAMBLE SHOE PROTECTOR Filed April 25, 1936 Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATESi star FFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in shoe protectors, the primary object being to provide means for preventing damage to foot wear while the wearer is driving an automobile. With modern automobiles, the gear shift, foot brake and accelerator or other mechanism located near the feet of the driver, frequently soil or spoil the appearance of shoes and stockings worn by female drivers. Particularly is this true when the heel of the shoe worn by the driver is high, when the material of shoes worn by female drivers is thin and light and when the operating parts of the automobile are oily. By the use of my invention complete protection is afforded to foot Wear. A further object is to provide means which may be more easily and quickly adjusted about the shoe of the user or removed therefrom, than heretofore.

A further object is the provision of means of the kind stated which is simple and inexpensive in construction and more practical and effective in operation than heretofore.

To these ends my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

It has been common practice to attempt to overcome the above difliculties by utilizing old stockings which are drawn on over the shoes and ankles of the user but such expedient is at best a make shift and is far from satisfactory, one reason being that the wear surfaces of the sole and shoe heel are covered by a frail material which soon wears or cuts and either interferes with the safe operation of the vehicle or becomes unsightly and otherwise objectionable in appearance. Also it has been common to use overshoes but these are usually too hot and clumsy to wear. It is therefore a further object to provide a protector which can easily be slipped on or off, which does not cover or interfere with the function of the tread surfaces of the sole and heel of the shoe, which is cool to wear and which is durable and attractive in appearance.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved shoe protector when in normal condition and in readiness for use; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing my improved shoe protector applied to the shoe of a wearer, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view looking at the sole of the shoe illustrated in Fig. 2, to which my improved shoe protector is shown applied.

The shoe protector constituting my invention is preferably made out of any suitable flexible fabric which will stretch to conform with and cover the shoe or slipper excepting substantially the tread surfaces of the sole and heel and which when removed from the shoe will return to its original normal contracted condition making it easily carried. I have found a loosely woven 5 knitted or crocheted fabric or a material resembling Jersey to constitute a satisfactory material. The protector is continuously woven into a relatively wide endless elastic band constituting the body A shown in Fig. 1, which is formed with upper and lower continuous selvedged edges B and C to reinforce and prevent sagging and unraveling and to reduce wear. The body band is of substantially uniform diameter from top to bottom so that when the protector is applied over the shoe such as D of the wearer the upper edge will closely encircle the shoe upper or ankle portion of the foot of the wearer and the lower edge will encircle and engage under the margin of the portion of the sole E of the shoe lying below the ball of the foot and hold the band on the shoe. The lower edge of the body lyingimmediately below the shank K of the shoe is permanently joined at G by interlacing the selvedge loops or by any other suitable means for a short distance longitudinally to form a portion resembling a stirrup below said shank and cause the protector to embrace and protect heel H, and the lower selvedged edge to firmly engage below the margin of the sole of the shoe and assist in holding the body of the band so that it will cover the shoe. The upper portion of the body may extend any height desired terminating below the rim of the shoe or above the shoe and around the ankle to protect the stocking worn on the foot when a low shoe or slipper is worn. The upper edge of the body band has an elastic band I threaded through a series of loops J provided on the upper selvedged edge of the fabric which augments the strength of elasticity of said edge to more securely hold the protector in place. Thus the protector is free of separable fasteners which might break, wear or catch articles of clothing, and is always ready for instant application to or removal from the shoe and foot of the user. When not in use the protector can be collapsed and easily carried.

The upper and lower cooperating selvedged edges thus serve to hold the body band in place covering the-upper portion of the shoe or ankle of the user. The protector is adapted to fit shoes irrespective of size within certain limits either for right or left hand wear and to be easily and quickly adjusted to the shoe of the user or removed therefrom. This can be accomplished Cal when desired, by flexing the lower limbs and substantially with very little bending or leaning over which frequently is found objectionable. Also the lower tread surfaces of the sole and heel of the shoe, when the protector is used are exposed so that the use of the foot remains free for operating the vehicle and. the protector is free from objectionable wear.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the construction thereof which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the structure shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe protector, consisting of a band of elastic material having one end open and its opposite end partly closed to form heel and sole openings, said band being adapted to be stretched around the shoe on either foot of the user from toe to heel, leaving the lower surface of the sole and the lower end of the heel exposed through said openings, the closed portion of the band being positioned so as to form a resilient retaining connection between the opposite side portions of the band below the shank of the shoe, and said band having a resilient lower selvedge edge cooperating with said retaining connection to hold the band on the shoe with its lower edge projecting inwardly and engaging below the lower marginal surface of the sole of the shoe.

2. A shoe protector consisting of a band of elastic material having one end open and its opposite end partly closed to form heel and sole openings, said band being adapted to be stretched around the shoe on either foot of the wearer from toe to heel leaving the lower surface of the sole and the lower end of the heel exposed through said openings, the closed portion of the band being positioned so as to form a resilient retaining connection between the opposite side portions of the band below the shank of the shoe, and said band having a resilient lower selvedge edge cooperating with said retaining connection to hold the forward portion of the band with its lower edge contracted below and adapted to engage the lower marginal surface of the sole of the shoe and the rearward portion of the band with its lower edge tightly encircling and protecting the rearward portion of the heel body.

3. A shoe protector as specified in claim 1 having an upper resilient selvedge edge and a resilient elastic band incorporated into said selvedge edge, for the purposes specified.

FERN-DELL GAMBLE. 

